Study Finds Microplastics In 93% Of Bottled Water [Infographic]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it is launching a review of the potential risks of plastic particles in drinking water, after a study found tiny pieces of plastic in more than 90% of samples from the world's most popular bottled water brands.

That analysis was conducted by the State University of New York in Fredonia as part of a project from the U.S.-based journalism organization Orb Media, and it involved 259 bottles of water from 11 brands across nine countries. They were bought in China, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Lebanon, Kenya, Thailand and the U.S.

Of all the bottles tested, only 17 were found to be free of plastic. On average, each liter sold contained 325 pieces of microplastic, including polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene terephthalate. In one case, a bottle of Nestlé Pure Life contained more tahn 10,000 pieces of microplastic. High levels were also found in bottles of Bisleri (5,230), Gerolsteiner (5,160) and Aqua (4,713).

According to WHO officials, there is no evidence that the consumption of microplastic fibers has an impact on human health, but it remains an emerging area of concern.

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